One Piece gushing, nothing to see here, just Off-topic nonsense &gt; &gt;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

We can talk in the usergroup later!

More One Piece gushing!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

bartholen:Of the less than 10 anime series I've watched, The Vision of Escaflowne I liked most. It's great, despite somewhat running out of steam towards the end.

That was a very fun show.

There's few anime that feel truly adventurous, and even less where the protagonist is a girl.

It had a big, fat non-ending though. And I heard the movie didn't conclude much either.

I think I'm in the minority because I don't think there's anything wrong with Escaflowne's ending. Sure it's a little sudden, but it's not hard to fill in some gaps by yourself like Hitomi saying goodbye to all the characters or spending some time on Gaea after the war. I even thought up a little epilogue for myself, just to give a sense of closure. There actually are slightly different endings to VoE on YouTube, they were part of an Escaflowne-based video game. In one of them all the main characters come to Folken's grave to say goodbye to Hitomi, which IMO was the most satisfying ending.

I really with they'd give that series a remake, Rebuild Evangelion-style, or just make the series like it was originally meant to be: 36 episodes in length. That alone would take it to entire new galaxies of awesomeness.

My heart also has a special place for good old G-Force, which I used to watch on Cartoon Network before I even knew the difference of anime and western animation, haven`t seen the NEW G-Force yet, so..

All time favorite is still Cowboy Bebop. If it wasn't for the original Twilight Zone, I would be my favorite TV show of all time. It's one of the few examples of anime that just oozes coolness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnbKF_uosrALook at it ooze....And now I have cowboy bebop on my shoe.

Hmm then I think it all makes sense now, if he's supposed to be a parody and a social commentary then it's very clever, but if not then blargh. I've not seen Afro Samurai nor am I big on street fighter, but can it be drawn as parallel to that cunt Jinpachi at the end of Tekken 5's story mode? Giant invulnerable 50 hit combo spamming fireball spewing meteor summoning prick that he was.

Hmmm, weird, One Piece isn't like that for me yet, most of it makes sense thus far though some things are yet to be expanded upon, like "just how strong is Dragon?". (...)

Edit: It's nowhere near the mess of convenient plot holes and magic macguffins that is the current state of Naruto. I say Naruto ends by the 1st Hokages DNA magically being able to spawn fucking Cthulu and end the world (oh wait...).

Yes, Naruto pretty much pulled the very same shit. In the beginning, I was amazed and enamoured with all those brilliant characters and the heavy dose of odd, and before I wrapped my head around the whole thing, it got well weird and not so sexy any more. Naruto, eventually, became the bastard child of Fist of the North Star and Pokemon, in a way. A bad way.

And yes, Jinpachi with his array of unblockable attacks and that surprise fiery front fart fits the bill just as the whole Tekken lore does.

When a good thing goes on for too long and too many people become involved, everything becomes George Lucas' ever changing Star Wars.

Familiar of Zero. The first anime that I've seen from start to finish and what got me into anime. I have to say that it's kind of average quality for an anime though, Death Note and Clannad are much better shows, with the latter being the best anime I've watched, but if it wasn't for FoZ I wouldn't even consider watching them in the first place.

It's just a shame that many people don't like it, I mean I can understand some of their reasons but still...

1) Steins;Gate - Time travelling anime about a 'mad scientist' - well informed, and the contrast in tone of the anime throughout it is great.

2) Cowboy Bebop - I don't feel like it needs to be described - freaking cool mc and soundtrack

3) Trigun - Sci-Fi Western about a man's philosophy getting tested to its limits - really good character development and transactions

4) Gurenn Lagann/Needless - Ridiculous mecha anime about a human rebellion/ clone of 'Jesus' fighting another clone of 'Jesus'- Gurenn is just hysterical, the fighting is over the top, the characters (KAMINA) are so cool although they are formulaic and I love the theme's of masculinity that run through it/ I believe the show to be facade of anime cliches (I may be giving them too much credit) its just hilarious everything about it, the fights are awesome although the dub is awful.

5) Hajime no Ippo - Boxing Anime about the ultimate underdog - Really cool fights that seem more human since they're based off boxing, one of my favorite shonens

I do like read a lot of manga though in contrast with anime, my favorites of that are Full Metal Alchemist, Rurouni Kenshin, Yu Yu Hakoshiro, Beserk, Beelzebub

Also I dunno where I should add Hellsing Ultimate and One Piece as they are both really good too.

Steins;Gate is my favorite anime of all time. There are a lot of amazing anime out there, every genre has its gems, but for me personally, Steins;Gate is in a league of its own.

It's just tailored to my tastes. The characters, plot and setting, it's like it was made for me. A very down to earth sci-fi thriller about time travel.

TizzytheTormentor:I like Fairy Tail, One Piece, Beelzebub and such, although I mostly read the manga for those.

I love Durarara!! and I got Baccano on DVD and I am borrowing my sisters Gurren Lagann DVDs and she wants me to watch Steins Gate, I really want to watch them, but work (which is thankfully ending this week) and assignments (just have to keep on top of them) has kept me from watching them, I might start next week if I am lucky.

Yes! Yet another one to share the glory with! You have fine taste my friend :D

Steins;Gate - Okabe is awesome. Every time I have to put on a lab coat (I'm a Chemistry major so that's fairly often) I have to repress an urge to laugh manically.

At least you don't ramble about the organization every time you put a cell phone to your ear!

Not yet but I'm fairly certain my consumption of Dr. Pepper has increased considerably after watching the series. Some good product placement there... Now if you'll excuse me I got the sudden urge to order some Pizza Hut after seeing your avatar.

Personally: Code Geass is the greatest anime I've ever watched. The first season had a relatively grounded in reality story with a bit of mysticism, the main character is basically a villain but is portrayed as an actual human who is unafraid to do terrible things. You know, like how real villains think.

Also, great writing despite translation and some great suspense. The second season of the show...I think the writers were stunned by how popular the show was and slackened slightly in their efforts. The flying Knightmare Frames were once a rarity and it was explained that it was incredibly hard to get a hold of them and deploy them, but by the second season almost all of the fights take on the unreal anime quality of doing insane amounts of collateral damage and introducing more and more powerful enemies that somewhat break it's tone. That being said, the second season has a few of the most traumatic and powerful scenes in the entire series, so it still gets my recommendation.

Yeah, I can't afford to buy the Madoka DVDs WAY too much money. I want to, but paying over $200 for a 12 episode series is just not justifiable.

Uhhh that's really fascinating. I always thought they'd only rip you off properly on the German releases (Examples include: Death Note 140 Euros, Cowboy Bebop 80 Euros or Code Geass 160 Euros - from amazon and on DVD mind you). Hence if I intend to get me some DVDs I usually order from amazon.co.uk, which I also did in the case of PMMM. They currently sell the whole series on Blu-Ray for just 25 pounds. And from what I can tell it's not region locked, though you'd do well in rechecking that....

R4ptur3:I've only been watching anime for about a year but I guess my top 5 would be:

Bleach: The first Proper anime I ever saw, and Bleach is the reason I Keep watching anime now. NarutoDarker than black (Hei is my man crush) Full metal alchemist: brotherhoodGurren Lagann because kaminaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Based upon your avatar I would think Darker than Black would be your favorite, it is mine. But then again I have only recently got into anime/manga (I have finished 10 different series or so)

Yeah, I can't afford to buy the Madoka DVDs WAY too much money. I want to, but paying over $200 for a 12 episode series is just not justifiable.

Uhhh that's really fascinating. I always thought they'd only rip you off properly on the German releases (Examples include: Death Note 140 Euros, Cowboy Bebop 80 Euros or Code Geass 160 Euros - from amazon and on DVD mind you). Hence if I intend to get me some DVDs I usually order from amazon.co.uk, which I also did in the case of PMMM. They currently sell the whole series on Blu-Ray for just 25 pounds. And from what I can tell it's not region locked, though you'd do well in rechecking that....

I learned this after I bought the limited editions... and after I left london. Granted, I wanted the soundtracks, so I'd still buy LTD. edition anyway, not to mention how handy having the US DVDs are.